Mexico

Question 1

Name the Mexican spirit DOs.

Answer 1

Tequila DO
Mexcal DO
Bacanora DO
Sotol DO
Charanda DO
(Raicilla DO is not finalized)

Question 2

What states are authorized for Tequila production?

Answer 2

Jalisco
Nayarit
Guanajuato
Michoacan
Tamaulipas

Question 3

What is the permitted alcohol range of Tequila? Mezcal? Bacanora? Sotol?

Answer 3

Tequila: 35-55%
Mezcal: 36-55%
Bacanora: 38-55%
Sotol: 35-55%

Question 4

What are the permitted additives for Tequila DO?

Answer 4

Caramel Coloring
Natural oak or Encino oak extract
Sugar syrup
Glycerin

Question 5

Where can Tequila be aged? Bottled?

Answer 5

Tequila must be aged by the producer in the DO territory. It can be shipped in bulk and bottled outside of Mexico.

Question 6

What are the label designations for Tequila DO?

Answer 6

Blanco/Silver
Oro/Gold
Reposado
Anejo
Extra Anejo
100% Agave

Question 7

What does Oro/Gold Tequila mean?

Answer 7

Spirit “mellowed” by caramel coloring and/or oak extracts

Question 8

What is the aging for Reposado Tequila?

Answer 8

aged min 2 months in oak or ending oak, no size minimum

Question 9

What is the aging for Anejo Tequila?

Answer 9

aged min 1 year in oak or ending oak, max 600L

Question 10

What is the aging for Extra Anejo Tequila?

Answer 10

aged min 3 yrs in oak or ending oak, max 600L

Question 11

If a Tequila is not labeled 100% Agave, what can be in there?

Answer 11

min 51% Blue Agave

max 49% sugar from sources other than agave

Question 12

What is the Latin name for Blue Agave?

Answer 12

Agave tequilana

Question 13

What are the original states of Mezcal production?

Answer 13

Oaxaca
Guerrero
Durango
San Luis Potosi
Zacatecas

Question 14

What states have towns that have been recently added for Mexcal production?

Answer 14

Tamaulipas
Michoacan
Guanajuato
Puebla

Question 15

Name three agave varieties authorized for Mezcal.

Answer 15

A. angustifolia (espadin)
A. esperrima 
A. weberi 
A. Patatorum (Tobala)
A. Salmiano
A. Americana Oaxacensis (Arroqueno)
A. Marmorata (Tepextate)

Question 16

What are the label designations of Mezcal?

Answer 16

White/Joven
Reposado
Anejo
Madurado en Vidrio
100% Agave

Question 17

What is the aging for Mezcal Reposado?

Answer 17

Aged in oak for at least 2 mo

Question 18

What is the aging for Mezcal Anejo?

Answer 18

1 yr in oak, max 200 liters

Question 19

What is Mezcal Madurado en Vidrio?

Answer 19

Matured in in glass for 12 mo in a cool dark place

Question 20

If a Mezcal is not labeled “100% Agave”, what can be in it?

Answer 20

Up to 20% other carbohydrate material. This is to be phased out in 2020

Question 21

Starting in 2020, What will Mexcal that is not 100% agave be called?

Answer 21

Type II mezcal

Question 22

What are the category designations for Mezcal?

Answer 22

Mezcal
Artesanal
Ancestral

Question 23

How can regular Mezcal be produced?

Answer 23

Cooking: pit ovens, cement or stainless tanks
Milling: Stone wheel, mechanical shredder or large mill
Ferment: wood cask, cement or stainless
Distillation: alambic, continuous, copper or stainless tank

Question 24

How can Mezcal Artesanal be produced?

Answer 24

Cooking: pit ovens or cement
Milling: Wooden floor, bats, stone wheel or mechanical shredder, may include maguey fiber.
Fermentation: stone vessel, cement, wood, earthenware or animal skins. Can include maguey fiber.
Distillation: direct fire on alembic, copper, clay vessel.
*Can include Maguey fiber

Question 25

How can Mezcal Ancestral be produced?

Answer 25

Cooking: Pit ovens Milling: wooden bats or stone wheel Fermentation: stone vessel, cement, wood, earthenware or animal skins. Must include maguey fiber. Distillation: direct fire on small or large clay vessel or wood. Must include Maguey fiber.

Question 26

Where can Mezcal be bottled?

Answer 26

Must be bottled in Mexico, unlike Tequila.

Question 27

What is the max size for a Mezcal bottle?

Answer 27

5 liter

Question 28

What must be included on a mezcal label?

Answer 28

Class Category Agave Species Anejo and Matured in Glass must give age in years

Question 29

What are permitted additives for Mezcal?

Answer 29

``` Insects Honey Fruit Herbs Coloring agents Meat ```

Question 30

What is Bacanora made from?

Answer 30

Agave Angustofolia | aka Yaquiana

Question 31

What are the label designations for Bacanora DO?

Answer 31

``` Blanco Joven/Oro Reposado Anejo 100% agave ```

Question 32

What is Bacanora Joven/Oro?

Answer 32

A blend of Blanco and Repo or Anejo

Question 33

How long is Bacanora Reposado aged for?

Answer 33

2 months

Question 34

How long is Bacanora Anejo aged for?

Answer 34

min 1 year in oak 200 L or less

Question 35

What is the state of production for Bacanora DO?

Answer 35

Sonora

Question 36

What is Bagazo?

Answer 36

the Maguey fiber

Question 37

What are the states of production for Sotol DO?

Answer 37

Chihuaha Coahuila Durango

Question 38

What is Sotol DO made from?

Answer 38

min 51% Dasylirion Wheeleri (a succulent, not agave)

Question 39

What are the label designations for Sotol?

Answer 39

Blanco Joven/Oro Reposado Anejo

Question 40

What is Joven/Oro Sotol?

Answer 40

Sotos Blanco blended with Sotol Repo OR Sotol aged in wood for 1-2 months

Question 41

How long is Sotol Repo aged?

Answer 41

min 2 months in oak, chestnut, acacia, beech, or ash, max 210 L

Question 42

How is Sotol Anejo aged?

Answer 42

min 1 yr in wood of max 2010 L

Question 43

What state is Charanda most associated with?

Answer 43

Michoacan

Question 44

What is sugarcane spirit often called in Mexico?

Answer 44

aguardiente

Question 45

What is the soil of Charanda?

Answer 45

Red volcanic

Question 46

What state is Racilla most associated with?

Answer 46

Jalisco, in the southwest portion

Question 47

What is Raicilla based on?

Answer 47

Agave anguvstifolia A. maximiliana A. inaequidens A. rhodacantha

Question 48

How many times is Mezcal distilled? And Raicilla?

Answer 48

Mezcal: twice Raicilla: once